“I saw Norman up the middle, and I took an extra step, and I just kind of fired it in there,” Watson said. “Hop did a great job and great play catching the ball. I was just picking my spot, doing what I normally do.”

As perfectly as that play went for Watson and the Texans on Sunday, it wasn’t emblematic of how the majority of the game unfolded for a sloppy offense.

There were three turnovers, including two interceptions thrown by Watson, and other rough moments during a 23-21 win over Washington at FedEx Field.

It was a workmanlike effort for an offense that regressed in the area of ball security after setting a franchise record for games without a turnover during the previous three games.

The Texans leaned heavily on a stout defense and a resurgent running game led by Lamar Miller to become the first NFL team since the 1925 New York Giants to win seven games in a row following an 0-3 start.

“Just a hard day,” left offensive tackle Julie’n Davenport said. “Things kind of weren’t going our way, but we kept fighting. We know we can do better than that.”

Watson completed 16 of 24 passes for 208 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for a 72.9 passer rating, his second lowest of the season. Watson had built a strong track record of not turning the football over during the previous three games, with eight touchdown passes and zero interceptions. But he was under some duress Sunday with three sacks behind an offensive line that lost starting guards Zach Fulton and Senio Kelemete to injuries.

“I think there were some things that were out of his control and other things he can improve on and I can improve on with him,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said. “This guy has played so hard for us, played so tough and made so many big plays for us. This is the guy who gives everybody hope because he is a hell of a young player. There are a lot of things I could have done better to help him. We’ll watch the tape.”

Against Washington, Watson didn’t look comfortable at times in the pocket. His first interception came in the second quarter when he tried to throw to rookie wide receiver Keke Coutee in traffic. The pass was tipped and then intercepted by linebacker Mason Foster.

In the third quarter, Watson was intercepted when a screen pass intended for running back Lamar Miller was deflected and intercepted by outside linebacker Preston Smith.

The Texans’ other turnover was committed by Hopkins on a fumble after a catch that was reviewed by instant replay.

“They tipped the ball twice and got their hands on it,” Watson said. “The one with Hopkins, he caught it, and the guy tried to punch it out, and they just grabbed it. That’s three great plays by them. It’s the NFL. They get paid just like we do.”

O’Brien has been emphasizing all season that the Texans’ winning formula needs to be built around protecting the football. That wasn’t the case Sunday. They won in spite of an offense that committed three turnovers for a minus-one turnover margin.

“Wasn’t clean, but we know there is something about this team right now,” O’Brien said. “They have a strong belief in each other and came up big in the end. The defense did a good job, and the offense did just enough.”

In particular, Miller kept the offense on a solid pace with 86 yards on 20 carries, and backup Alfred Blue rushed for 46 yards on eight carries. The Texans finished with 139 rushing yards on 31 carries.

Backsliding on turnovers was troublesome to Miller as the Texans make a push for an AFC South title and an automatic playoff berth.

“It’s going to be real important,” Miller said. “The turnover margin is very important in this league. It helps your team once you take the ball away, but I think we’ve got to do a better job of taking care of the ball. We’ve just got to do a better job as an offense to take care of the ball.”

The resilient nature the Texans have displayed during a seven-game winning streak gives Davenport hope that the turnovers are an aberration.

“I know these boys,” he said. “We’re some fighters. We’re some dogs. We’ve got to keep this train rolling.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans beat writer for the Houston Chronicle, joining the paper in August 2015. He was a Baltimore Ravens beat writer from 2001 to 2015, working for The Baltimore Sun, including coverage of Super Bowl XLVII, the Ray Rice domestic violence case and the careers of Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Jonathan Ogden, and previously covered the team for the Carroll County Times and the Annapolis Capital.

This marks the second time the Washington, D.C. native has covered the AFC South, previously covering the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Translator

Get insights, lively discussion and, of course, debate from Houston Chronicle columnists and guests every Thursday as they take on the most current hot-button topics in sports. Please subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and give us a five-star rating on Apple Podcasts. It helps! Thanks!